South Carolina football: Gamecocks pull out win in Nashville

The South Carolina football team left Nashville with a win on Saturday.

The Gamecock offense put on its best performance of the young season, posting a 41-point output on the way to its first win of the year. In a rain-soaked matchup, South Carolina used its running game to put a stranglehold on Derek Mason and the Commodores.

The Gamecocks rushed for nearly 300 yards on the day as South Carolina runners found the endzone on five different occasions. Kevin Harris received the bulk of the work, and he didn’t disappoint, breaking off big gain after big gain.

Reserve tailbacks Deshaun Fenwick and ZaQuandre White also looked good, tallying 57 yards on just seven carries. Even quarterback Collin Hill and receiver Dakereon Joyner joined the party, with both running for scores of their own.

The game script allowed for the Gamecocks to avoid throwing the ball too much, which was beneficial considering the weather. And it kept the defense rested for most of the afternoon, as they held the Commodore offense to just 249 total yards.

Let’s take a look at the top performers from the Gamecocks’ 12th straight win over its SEC Eastern division foe.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

This is a no-brainer. Kevin Harris carried the South Carolina offense on their way to the best performance of the year. The second-year back toted the rock 21 times for a total of 171 yards and two scores. He capped his day off with an 88-yard touchdown scamper early in the fourth quarter.

Harris has become a huge part of the South Carolina offense over the past few weeks, going for back-to-back 100 yards games. He’ll be leaned upon heavily in the Auburn game next week as the Gamecocks try to pull the upset.

PLAY OF THE GAME

We heard throughout the offseason of the potential for Dakereon Joyner at the wide receiver position. Electric with the ball in his hands, Gamecock fans finally got the chance to see what the coaching staff has been talking about.

Early in the fourth quarter, Joyner took a reverse 47 yards to the house, putting an exclamation point on the Gamecock win. It was Joyner’s first touch of the season, but it certainly won’t be his last. Let’s hope that he can ride this momentum throughout the year as he looks to get more involved with the offense.

Check out the touchdown run below.